Magazine safety razor



' Oct. 31, 1944. M 5511 MAGAZINE SAFETY RAZOR Original Filed OCtJlZ,1.942

3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

BY %W% Oct. 31, 1944. N. TESTl MAGAZINE SAFETY RAZOR Original Filed Oct.12, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

061; 31, 1944. TEST] 2,361,513

MAGAZ INE SAFETY RAZOR 7 Original Filed Oct. 12, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 5IN VEN TOR.

Patented a. 31, 1944 UNITED." STATES ra n TENT ori ice SAFETY RAZORNicholas Testi, Boston, Mass.,...assig-norto Gillette .IS'afet'y'iRazorCompan poration of Delaware y,Boston, Mass, a. cor- Continuation ofapplication'aSerial:No. 472,665;

b January 18, 1943,

which is adivision of-applicattion Serial No."461,702, October 12,1942.- .T-his m application-April 27, 1944, Serial.'No;-53 3,029

I 3 Glaims. This :invention relates toy-safety razors and magazinesifor;safety razor blades. In one aspect it consists in a new and improvedsafety razor :having. means for positioning and retaining a.-slotted-open-end blade therein in condition of transverse curvatureindependently of the usual blade-clamping cap. -In another aspect itcomprises a'novel safety razor and magazine combination. tin-stillanotheraspect the invention consists-in a new and-improved blademagazine wherein the blades are maintained stacked in longitudi-nallystaggered relation and the blade .located consecutively uppermost in thestack is -fed'out of the magazine by a feeding device which 1 engagesaportion of the blade already separated r tion not only adapts the:razorto receive blades .of different thicknesses. but by flexing theblade develops friction sufficient to retain-it against accidentaldisplacement on the guard. It also provides means for positivelycontrolling contact- -.ing' ends of blades being ejected and beingpresented and-:thus obviates the possibility of one stack of blades inlongitudinal staggered relation .and having means for feeding the bladesalter- .nately first from one and then from the-other end-of themagazine.

My invention includes also a novel combination of'zreversible magazineand 'reversiblerazor so constructed and arranged that blades aredelivered-from one-end of the magazine :toone end of-the razor and fromtheother .end of the magazine to the other end of the razor, reversingboth razor .and' magazine between; eachwithdrawal of abladefrom thestack.

.*In this connection by invention includes as another important'aspect'the novel process of separatingand' feeding slotted open-end bladeswhich zconsists instacking :the'blades with the slotsof g-alternateblades opening in opposite :,directions and-with alternate bladesdisplaced longitudinally in the staclgand then: withdrawing oneby: one

:the blades successively located: uppermost in 1 the stack andreversingthe-stack end for end between :eachwithdrawal.

These and other features loflthe invention will be best understood andappreciatedfrom the following description of a: preferred embodimentthereof selected for" purposes 'of illustration and shown in theaccompanying drawings, all shown on an'enlargeda'scale and in which:'

blade riding overthe other and jamming inthe *razor, a'clifficultywhi'ch has been troublesome .in-the pastin dealing'withmagazine-supplied razors.

The-feature of=the razor construction above vdiscusssed is alsoimportant'as new combination of razor and magazine. It has 1 been foundimpractical to engage the unsupported-end of the blade-in use by theunsupported .end of afresh bladeand accordingly the present 1 inventioncontemplates equipping the magazine with means for initiallydisplacingthe used blade iinthe'razor so as ton-carry its end intoiaposition where it is sandwiched between or positively 10- cated: by'theretaining plate and the guard sur- .:face.- Themagazine-is provided witha feeding *"device which thereupon advances a new blade without anyobstruction' whatever until its ad- "vancing end encounters'the-usedblade in its displaced-position. Accordingly, the meeting endsv of'the'two blades are positively controlled during 6 the entire time'that'one is being ejected by the other. i 1

Another feature of theinvention consists in a TdOllblE-El'ldfidmagazine-arranged to: contain a;

' *"Fig. 1' is 'a plan View of the guard member showing a portion ofa'blade thereon;

"Fig; 2' is a view of the razor head in cross-.

' section, showing the 'cap in elevated'positionf one factor of a Fig.Sis a view in side elevation corresponding tolFfig. 2"but with the endportions in section;

' Fig. 4 is a plan View of a slotted open-end blade I adapted forusewiththe razor ,of Figs. 1-3;

Fig. 5 isa plan viewof the magazine;

Fig. 6 is a corresponding .view in side elevation showing portions ofthe casing broken away;

. Fig. '7-is a view .of themagazine incross-section on-the line.1.-.-1of Fig.- 6; g I I -Eigs; 8 and 9 are views. ofthe guard and one vend ofthe magazine showing the.blade being ejected in two different positions;

Fig. 10 is a sectional view ofthe razor head on a-still further enlargedscaleashowing the blade clamped forshaving;

,Fig. 11- is a view in cross-section on the line 11-! l of Fig. 8, withthe addition of the cap member;

Fig. 12 is a detailed view in longitudinal section of the end of therazor handle;

:'- magazine;

, Fig. 13 is a plan .view ofthe :base plateof the ing member or guard IIwhich is generally rectangular in outline and provided with a shoulderedconvex blade-supporting face. Longitudinal slots are formed in the guardto provide marinal guard bars -I 2 which together with the razor capdetermine the edge exposure of the shaving edge of the blade. j

The blade-supporting face of the guard is'provided centrally with alongitudinal blade-locating rib l3 to the upper face of which ispermanentlysecured by rivets or otherwise an elongated blade-retainingplate M. The rib l3 extends =above the face of the guard H and is spacedtherefromby a distance-s'omewhat more than the thickness of the thickestblade which is to be used in the razor. Its upper face and theblade-retaining plate 14 are both curved transversely approximatelyconcentrically with the convex face of the guard so'that any flexibleblade inserted between the guard and the retainiiig plate I4 is itselftransversely flexed.

The guard, rib and to provide a circular aperture I5 through whichextends a spindle i'l carrying at its upper end a blade-clamping cap IS.The inner or bladeclamping face ofthe cap I6 is ooncaved transverselyon'a curve corresponding substantially to the transverse curvature ofthe guard H. It is provided with an elongated recess 24 in which theretaining plate it may be received with clearance when the capisdrawn'down to its bladeclamping position as suggested in'Flg. 10. The"cap i6 is also .providedwith apair of spaced downwardly projecting pins18 for which holes 19 are provided in the-guard and through theblade-retaining plate [4. It will be understood that the pins l8 movefreely in the holes [9 and thus maintain the cap and guardaccurately inaligned relation. The retaining plate 14 is provided with concave; endedges. All four of its corners are deflected upwardly or flared to aslight extent in orderto facilitat the introduction of the blade endsbeneath them.

As shown in Fig. 12 the lower end of the handle in is closed by a hollowcylindrical nut 22 which is freely rotatableitherein' and internallythreaded for engagement with the lower end of the spindle ll. The nut isheld in place retaining plate are drilled of the barrel assigns by firstremoving the screw 23 in case it should be desired to take apart therazor for cleaning or for repairs. The upper end of the spindle H isflattened on opposite sides beneath the cap 16 to afford clearance forthe sides of the slot 2| of theblade.

The razor herein shown is designed for use with a'slotted open-end blade20 of the general character shown in Fig. 4, although not limited inthis respect. That blade is generally rectangular in outline, sharpenedin its opposite longitudinal edges; provided with corner notches de-'fining elongated unsharpened portions at each end of thebladeandprovided with a longitudinal slot 2| opening through one end of theblade. The slot 21- is provided with a circular enlargementcorresponding to the perforation l5 and forming a passage for thespindle l1. It is also provided with a square-sided enlargement25located between its central perforation and the open-end of the slot.The blade is of thin flexible steel of an order of .004" -.006" inthickness.

It will be understood that the blade 20 shown in Fig. 4 may be presentedto the guard l I by hand by slipping the open end of its slot 2| uponthe rib l3 and pushing the blade inwardly beneath the blade-retainingplate l4 until its further movement is arrested by contacting the closedor solid'end of the blade with the adjacent end of the rib l3. In thismovement of presentation the blade is transversely flexed to anoticeable degree by the cooperation of the convex guard surface andconcave under surface of the retaining plate 14. The spacing of theretaining plate is such as to accommodate beneath it any bladeofappropriate thickness for the razor and by flexing the blade todevelop a retaining friction which is sufficient to prevent itsaccidental displacement at all times, as in preparing the razor forshaving or'in flushing it after the shaving operation. The blade 20 isshown in Fig. 2 in its transversely curved condition of presentation.

Similarly the used blade may be Withdrawn by grasping the solid endof=the blade where this is facilitated by the concave end edge of theretaining plate l4.

It is contemplated, howeverQthat the razor herein shown may bemoreconveniently used when fresh sharp blades are supplied to it by a-magazine which will now be described; Referring first to Figs. 13-17 itwill be seen that the magazine comprises an elongated base plate 30 ofrectangular, outline provided centrally and symmetrically with arectangular well 3|. From the bottom of this well projects an elongatedbladelocating rib 33 and blade stops 34 and 35 which are arranged inalignment with the central rib by a circular internal rib in the barrel.in which nut 22 when the parts of the razor are assembled.

The screw 23. of course. limitsthe movement of the-nut 22 withrespect tothe spindle l1 and these two parts may be completely disengaged 33,spaced equally from its 'ends and provided with triangular enlargementswhich are designed to fit the square-sided enlargements 25 in the slotsof the blades. The rib and stops 34 and 35 project substantially abovethe walls of the well 3! and'are designed stack of blades 20 locatedthereon in longitudinally staggered relation and with alternate bladesreversed in the direction of their slot openings. The location oftheblade in the stack is best shown in Fig. 5 in which it will be seen thatthe uppermost blade is located with its solid end between the stop 35and the right end of the rib 33 with its slot opening toward the left,whereas. the second blade in the stack is located with its solid endbetween the stop 34 and the left end of the rib 33, and so 'on.

The blades are somewhat shorter than the to locate and retain a- 2,316l1j513i overall length -oi the well 3l so -that when the stack islocated as above explained there is-an opportunity for a forked liftingspring-to' be forcibly inserted beneath theassemblted stack The liftingspring 26 is shown-inFig. 17 as belng lon-1 gitudinally curved andslotted" so that it maybe thus be assembledonthe base plate convenientlyand-withoutany tendency toward: being-displaced and then the spring 26"may be slipped=into place after the loaded baseplate' isinserted -in-the. magazine casing. The 1 base plate isreduced in" thicknessat eachend to provide transverse shoulders 28 and-292 The base-plateis providedin:

each side edge with a pair of recesses 32 into which the materialof themagazine casing may be swaged to retain the two parts permanently inassembled relation.

The casing or shell 36 of the magazine comprises a metal tube ofrectangular cross-section, as best shown in Figs. 7 and 11, and of suchdimensions as to receive the base plate with a stack of blades 20thereon and with the lifting spring 26 compressed to substantiallyhorizontal position. The upper wall of the magazine casing is formed bya pair of inturned spaced flanges 31 and 38 which overlie the sideportions of the blades 20 but leave exposed the central area of theblade which is uppermost in the stack. The outer corners of the flanges3'! and 38 are flared and are bent downwardly to form blade-engagingprojections as shown in Fig. 11, that is to say, projections whichengage the used blade upon the guard II and displace it initially whenthe magazine is brought into operative relation with the razor head aswill be presently explained. After the casing has been assembled uponthe base plate depressions 43 are formed in its side walls whichinterlock with the recesses 32 above described. In the side walls of thecasing elongated depressions are also formed which provide internallongitudinal ribs 39. These ribs overlie and positively guide the guardbars l2 of the razor guard into contact with the shoulders 28 or 29 ofthe magazine.

The magazine casing is provided with a sliding feeding member whichembraces the sides of the casing 36 and is permanently connected to aninternal flanged blade-engaging member 4|, the outer edges of which runbeneath the flanges 31 and 38 of the magazine casing 36. Stop pins 42are provided in the flanges 37 and 38 near the opposite ends thereof tolimit the travel of the feeder 40 so that at each extremity of itsstroke it clears the solid end of the blades which are located insidethe respective stops 34 and 35. The rib 33 and stops 34 and 35 are ofsuch height as to permit the solid end portion of a blade to pass abovethem in bowed condition while the longitudinal edges pass beneath theflanges 31 and 38.

In using the magazine above described it will be assumedthat it isdesired to eject and replace the blade shown in Fig. 8 as retained uponthe guard H by the retaining plate M. The cap l6 having been firstlifted, the guard and magazine are brought together as suggested in Fig.8, that is to say the right-hand end of the guard is telescoped into theleft-hand end of the magazine. that being the end of the magazine inwhich the open end of the uppermost blade in the stack is disposed. Inthis preliminary movement of enit toward; the .left -upon. th'e guardfor a substantial-distance, for\ example, for about one-fourthof itslength but in any case far enough tolocate the 1 open-endnof: the blade.well: beneath the retam-in plateiz-l 4". and in a position.- where: the.end edges ofi thezblad 'e are. sandwiched between the retaining plateMi and-tithe: blad'eeengagingv face o-fithe guard'lt: I In thispreliminary movement tl resinternal'ribs 39s of the magazine over-rideand guidesi the: marginal guard bars; of. the guard. as shown in Fig.11, relative longitudinalmovement 1 5.. being arrested by contact. ofthe-end of the guard with one or other of thershouldersisitor 2 9:.

The-feeding device his now ate-the right-hand entde ofzthe: m-agazinein.a position beyond thezend. of 'theuppermost bladewherezit,slightly.depresses-.=

the second blade in the stack as shown in Fig. 16. It is now movedtoward the left advancing the uppermost blade in the stack, which islifted by the spring 26 above the rib 33 and stop 34, with its open endforemost into the opening between the right-hand end of the retainingplate l4 and the guard H beneath it. The entrance of the blade isfacilitated, as already noted, by the flaring corners of the retainingplate and it has free passage beneath the plate without any obstructionuntil it encounters the right-hand end of the blade 20 which has alreadybeen displaced as above explained and as illustrated in Fig. 8. Thecontact between the two blades is made in substantially the locationshown in Fig. 9, that is to say, in a location where the contacting endsof both blades are sandwiched between the retaining plate and the guardand consequently have no opportunity for vertical displacement whichwould result in one blade riding over the other and jamming. Movement ofthe feed slide 46 is continued until arrested by the pins 42 at theleft-hand end of the magazine. When this occurs the blade 20 has beensubstantially ejected from the razor head and the new blade located inits place.

When the blade thus'presented is to be ejected and the magazine usedagain it is reversed end for end. The reversal being necessary becausethe second blade in the stack has its open end directed away from therazor head as shown in Figs. 8 and 9 andbecause the feed slide has nowbeen moved to the left-end of the magazine and positioned for deliveryby movement toward the opposite end of the magazine.

It will be understood, of course, that the spring 23 pushes the stack ofblades upwardly at all times and holds the uppermost blade in contactwith the flanges 31 and 38 of the magazine casing where it may be movedendwise freely above the rib 33 and the stops 34 and 35. The function ofthe triangular enlargement of the stops is to retain positively thesecond blade in the stack from longitudinal movement while the uppermostblade is being withdrawn. Otherwise the frictional engagement of theuppermost blade would tend to displace the second blade.

The user of the hazor and magazine herein described may easily determinewhich end of the magazine should be brought into engagement with therazor, and to which end of the razor the new blade should be presented,by noting in which end of the magazine or razor is located the open endof the blade to be delivered or ejected.

The concave retaining plate [4 serves, by holding the blade always inflexed condition, to ingagemendotrthezzguard and magazine the: down-avwardlyzd'eflected corners. Ofu'the. flanges 31. and;38Lengagetheshoi1ldrsof the lbl'adeand displace:

crease and maintain its stifiness substantially uniform regardless ofthe position of the cap.

Therefore, the cap may be adjusted freely tovary the edge exposure oftheblade without danger of loosening it and permitting chatter or flutterof the shaving edge.

The present application is a continuation of my application SerialNumber 472,665, filed January 18, 1943, which is a division ofapplication Serial No. 461,702, filed October 12, 1942.

Having thus disclosed my invention and described in detail anillustrative embodiment channel for receiving the internal edges of aslotted open-end blade.

2. A safety razor having a guard presenting a convex blade-supportingface with a central rib projecting above it, a cooperating cap having acorrespondingly concaved blade-clamped face, and an elongatedblade-retaining plate attached to the rib and transversely curved tocorrespond to the curvature of the said blade clamping face of the cap.I

3. A safety razor having a guard presenting a shoulderedblade-supportingface with a central 7 rib and an overhanging curvedblade-retaining plate above its said face, and a cap having a concaveface for engaging the blade above shoulders of the guard and anelongated recess for receiving theblade-retaining plate with clearance.

NICHOLAS 'IESTI.

